HC petition seeks ban on defective aircraft in densely populated areas

In the wake of the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft at Milestone School and College in the densely populated Uttara area of Dhaka, a writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking the formation of a judicial inquiry committee. The petition also calls for a ban on the operation of defective or potentially unsafe aircraft in densely populated areas, particularly in Dhaka.

The writ was filed on Tuesday (22 July) by Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin and Advocate Anisur Rahman Raihan Biswas. The High Court bench, led by Justice Fahmida Khatun and Justice Syed Zahid Mansur, scheduled a hearing on the matter later in the day.

Present in court during the hearing were Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Barrister Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Advocate Siddiq Ullah Miah, and Advocate Maksud Ullah. They urged the court to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and demanded the public disclosure of all relevant information.

The petition requests that the High Court direct authorities to disclose the number of defective aircraft currently operated by the Bangladesh Air Force and to outline the maintenance protocols in place for these aircraft.

In addition, the petition calls for the injured students, teachers, and guardians from Milestone School and College to be sent abroad for advanced medical treatment. It also demands compensation of Tk 50 million (5 crore) for each family of the deceased and Tk 10 million (1 crore) for each injured victim.

It may be noted that on Monday afternoon, a Bangladesh Air Force training fighter jet crashed into a building on the campus of Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Diabari area. So far, the incident has claimed 31 lives, while 78 others are receiving treatment. In response to the disaster, a day of national mourning was observed across the country on Tuesday.